Protests in Iran have surged dramatically, leading to a staggering death toll that various reports estimate between 2,637 and over 16,500, reflecting the regime's brutal crackdown on dissent.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has publicly acknowledged the high number of casualties, attributing the unrest to foreign interference, particularly from the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified the rhetoric, labeling Khamenei a "sick man" and calling for "new leadership" in Iran, while threatening potential military actions in response to ongoing violence.
The Iranian government has retaliated by accusing Trump of inciting violence, branding him a "criminal" for supporting the protesters and heightening tensions between both nations.
Amidst the turmoil, international figures, including politicians and celebrities, have rallied support for the Iranian protesters, demonstrating a global outcry against the regime's human rights violations.
The protests reveal deep societal fractures within Iran, highlighting issues of economic hardship, demands for civil rights, and ethnic minority grievances, all against a backdrop of government repression and information blackouts.